Container



April 3, 1951 w TAYLOR ETAL 2,547,059

CONTAINER Filed March 22, 1946 /6 if 26 /Z 36 ff I i/ I U y 45 /i 7 ,ml

INVENTORS ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE2,547,059 CONTAINER William E. Taylor, Riverside, Conn., and Hans W.Schmidt, Union, N. J., assignors to American Can Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New J ersey Application March 22, 1946, Serial No.656,346

Claim. (01. 2201) by lever action by a can of like or similarconstruction.

' An object, therefore, of the present invention is the provision of abeverage can having a cap closure wherein the cap is fitted onto a shortdispensing nozzle which extends up from a fiat top or shallow end memberof the can, the entire can top assembly being designed and proportionedto combine the advantages of a flat top container with those of a nozzletop container, the assembly having a liquid tight cap closure which maybe readily removed by insertion of a seam part of a similar can underthe cap for prying it oh the nozzle to facilitate opening the canwithout the use of a separate tool or other instrument.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a can whereineither of the end seams which unite the can end members to the body maybe utilized to pry off the cap to open the can, thereby obviating thenecessity of providing special tools for opening the can or providingfor expensive, difi'icult-to-produce-formations in or on the can forthis purpose.

Another object is the provision of such a can wherein the cap closure isdisposed in a position which permits of stacking the cans withoutinterference of the closure with the bottom of the adjacent stacked can.t 4

Still another object is the provision of such a can wherein the top endseam of the can to be opened is utilized as .a fulcrum for the can usedas the opener. A further object is the provision of such a can which maybe produced automatically on regular can making machinery, at high speedand with economy of materials.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of two containers embodying the instantinvention, also in stacking position, parts of the containers beingbroken way;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the top assembly ofsuch a container, also showing the end seam of another container in capremoving position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 2, showing howone container may be opened by means of the bottom seam of the other.

As a preferred embodiment of the invention the drawings illustrate asubstantially flat top sheet metal can made of tin plate or othersuitable material and comprising a round or tubular body I I (Fig. 1)having'top and bottom end members l2 and I 3 secured thereto. The coveror top end member 12 is formed with a shallow, countersunk panel havinga substantially flat panel wall I6.

This panel wall continues outwardly and merges into and is surrounded byan inner upright'fiange I! (see Fig. 2) and a continuing outer flangel3,

which between them set off an inverted U-shaped "channel Hi.

20,. folded with a flange part 21 of the body in a double seam 22 whichprojects beyond the upper or outer end of the body, as best shown inFig. 2. A lining compound 23 is preferably interposed in the channel I9between the outer cover flange l8 and the body flange 2| and thisprovides an hermetic joint.

Inwardly of the double seam 22 the panel wall [6 is preferably formedwith an annular reenforoing bead 26. At the middle of the cover member,the panel wall [6 is bent at an angle and formed into an integralupright annular nozzle or neck 3| which defines and surrounds a round,centrally aligned filling and dispensing opening 32 in the cover member.This nozzle 3] is preferably concentric with the .top end seam 22 andextends upbeyond the plane of the top edge of the end seam 22, as bestshownin Fig. 2. The

panel wallv l6 may be substantially horizontal or as shown in Fig. 2,slightly inclined.

The annular side wall of the nozzle 3| at the top merges into anoutwardly curled edge 33, which is disposed a slight, predetermined,distanoe above the top of the can and which defines the mouth of thenozzle. This curled edge 33 serves as a seat for a shallow cap closure35 of the crown cap type which seals the can after it is filled. The capclosure 35 is preferably formed with a substantially flat central walland a short depending skirt or flange 36 which is crimped under thecurlededge 33 of the nozzle to hold the closure in temporary sealingposition on the nozzle. A gasket 38 of lining material is preferablydisposed between the closure and the curled nozzle edge to provide ahermetic joint therebetween.

When the cap closure 35 is in sealed position on the filled can, asclearly shown in Fig. 2, the bottom or lowermost edge of the crimped-onskirt 36 preferably is substantially in the plane or slightly above theplane of the top edge of the can top end seam 22. In this position thedistance between this lowermost edge of the cap closure and the uppersurface of the panel wall [6 is slightly greater than the verticalheight of the end seam 22. This predetermined rela-- tion of thelowermost edge of the cap closure to the other adjacent parts of the topassembly ispurposely brought about to; facilitateremoyal. of the capclosure from itsnozzle by using the existing end seam parts of. an:identically constructed or similar can which may be designated as anopening can so that no special opening. tools are required.

Hence by resting the end seam of the opening can on the top edge of thetop end seam 22 and inserting the seam of the. former underthe lowermostedge ofthe cap closure (as. shown in Fig. 2)., the cap: closure. may bereadily pried off with. little efiortfl It. will be observed that theopening can isv here used-as a lever which applied against the. seam 22.as a. fulcrum. If. desired, the. same. pryingeifect upon the cap closure35 may be had. by flulcruming the bod-y sidewall of the opening can onthe. top double seam 2 2 and inserting. the top or. bottom seamv of. theopening can under the lowermost edge of the. cap closure 35. (as showninFig. 3).. Here again a slight. pressure on the opening can. will readilypry the top closure off the nozzle rim 3%.

In order to. provide for efiicient stacking. of these cans, one on topof or adjacent to the other, the bottom end member t3 preferably, isformed with. an inwardly curved or dome. shapedpanel wall. 4.]. This.panel wall merges into and is. surrounded by inner and. outer bottomcover flanges 42,. i3 respectively, which enclose the. bottom edge ofthe canbody H in a manner similar to that of the top or cover end, theouter flange 43 being interfolded with a flange on the body to. providea compound. lined hermetically sealed double seam 45 similar to the topend seam 22,.

Thus when. two cans are. stacked one upon the other asv shown in Fig.1,; the dome shaped bottom 4'! provides a. clearance space or housingfor that part of the nozzle 3| and its cap. closure 35. which extendsabove the top edge of the. top end seam 22 of the supporting. can. It isthe bottom seam 45 (see. Fig. 2) or the inner flange 42. (see Fig. 3')of the opening can which usually is. utilized in pryin on". the capclosure. 35 of a likev can, although the upper seam 22. or its innerflange 11 may also be utilized. for this purpose if desired. The endseams. 2'2 and 15,, when properly dimensioned thus fit the predeterminedspace between the edge of the cap closure 35 and the panel wall 00 IE toprovide a variety of prying. off projections for the removal of the capclosure 35. Either the height or thickness or both of the end seams 22and may thus be co-related to the predetermined space between the edgeof the cap closure 35 and the panel wall IE to function as prying-offmeans.

It is thought that the. invention and. many of its attendant advantageswill-i be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or. sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a: preferred embodiment thereof.

A substantially flat top sheet metal container having a'short fillingand pouring nozzle, comprisingra tubular body, top and bottom endmembers secured to said body in projecting double seams. of.predetermined height, said. top member having a. countersunk paneliwall.extending inwardly from. the adjacent top end seam a. distancesufficient. to provide an. unrestricted space for the projecting seam ofanother like container when the. latter. is used as a prying,instrument;

a short nozzle projecting upwardly from said.

panel wall and. terminating in a closure seat and acrown. cap closureclosely fitting on and secured.

to said closure seat, said cap closure having. a. depending skirtengaging under said. closure seat and with its. free edge turnedoutwardly, said.

free edge'of; said skirt being. spaced above said panel wall apredetermined distance slightly greater than said seam heightandlyingsubstantially in the plane of the'top. edge of the. can top enct seam toprovide entrance-for and a purchase.

contact with. the projecting seam of an opening container of likeconstruction whenthe seam of. the opening container is inserted in thespace beneath the bottom edge of said closure skirt, the openingcontainer beingfulcrumed on the top seam of the like container being.opened. and.

functioning. as a prying. lever to. remove the cap.

closure from said nozzle.

WILLIAM. E. TAYLOR. HANS W.. SCHMIDT..

REFERENCES CITED Thefol-lowingv references are of; record. in the file.of: this: patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Aug. 17,1936

